SA man marries own daughter to fix wife and stepchildren
A man named Joseph Maoto, 67, from Johannesburg, recently passed away, leaving his wife and three stepchildren in deep confusion.
Joseph married his wife, Thembi, 52, 12 years ago. He never had any biological children with Thembi, but he took in her three children and raised them as his own. Chibaba was a stepfather to these three kids. Issues started when Joseph discovered he had a daughter, Melisa Manzini, from a long time ago while he was working in Limpopo. DNA tests were conducted, confirming that Melisa was indeed Joseph’s daughter, just as her mother had claimed.
Unfortunately, Joseph’s wife, Thembi, rejected the child and forbade her from setting foot in their Gauteng house. When all this unfolded, Joseph felt terrible and his health, which had been declining, worsened. Joseph then secretly took his daughter to Home Affairs, without telling anyone, to marry her as his official wife in a community of property marriage. Since Melisa wasn’t using the Maoto surname, this marriage legally established her as his wife. He then changed all his wills, stating 100% ownership of everything would go to his daughter’s name, now officially recognized as his wife in the database of South African law.
Joseph died last week, and all his funeral proceedings have been paused as both his wife and his daughter (now legally Mrs. Maoto) are fighting over the estate. Lawyers have confirmed that Thembi and her three children must vacate the house, as everything legally belongs to Melisa. Unfortunately, they have refused to comply.
According to Home Affairs records, Melisa is indeed the wife of the late Joseph Maoto. The house, three cars, and a tavern in Mapetla are all in her name; ndiye aato muridzi wema sinhi. A notice from the housing court has since been issued in favor of Melisa, as Mrs. Maoto. Thembi and her children are expected to leave the house with nothing before August 7th. Was he wrong for this or akatogona?
